Cerys Gorringe from Highgate, Annecy Stevens from St John’s Wood and Manon Lowth from Hampstead travelled to Flaine, France – and the 13-year-olds finished as the top Under-14 team.

In addition to that feat, the trio belied their youth to come sixth overall out of the 43 teams, despite competing with older rivals up to the age of 21 – many of whom were junior nationals.

The NLCS girls took part in a range of events, including individual competitions, and Gorringe was 10th out of 129 finishers in the grand slalom, clocking 58.93 seconds on her first run and 1:00.25 on the second to post a combined time of 1:59.18.

That left her as the second-fastest Under-14 finisher so she took the runner-up prize in the Novices Cup, while Stevens was third in the age category and 19th overall after clocking 1:01.72 and 1:01.90 to end up with 2:03.62.

Lowth was unable to finish her first run, but she posted 1:22.56 on her second attempt.

Gorringe impressed again in the slalom event, coming seventh out of 113 finishers after recording times of 48.45 and 48.75 and a total of 1:37.20.

That was the fastest time by an Under-14 entrant so she won the Novices Cup in the event, while Stevens was third in the age group again and 21st overall.

She clocked 52.58 and 53.71 for a 1:46.29 total – and Lowth was 100th as a 1:06.02 run was followed by a 1:05.61 effort, resulting in a 2:11.63 total.

When the results for the two events were combined, Gorringe was placed sixth out of 144. That left her top in the Under-14 class again so she scooped the Argyll Trophy, while Stevens was third again after coming 17th overall – and Lowth was 134th.

When their scores were put together, the NLCS trio came sixth overall – the best placing from an Under-14 team and also a better result than many older opponents.

They also competed in a parallel slalom knock-out event, but they were beaten by St Mary’s Calne (Wiltshire) in the second round.

n South Hampstead High School were also at the British Schoolgirls’ Races in France, and Under-16 skiier Zofia Wootliff was 38th in the grand slalom after posting a total time of 2:08.90 from her two runs.

Elle Di Fillipo (Under-14) was 70th (2:16.33) and Alexandra Tangen (Under-18) posted 1:09.42 on her first run but did not finish her second race.

In the slalom, Tangen was South Hampstead’s best performer, coming 86th with a total time of 2:06.98, while Wootliff was 104th with 2:16.57 and Di Fillipo was disqualified on her second run.

When it came to the combined results for the two events, Wootliff was 74th and Di Fillipo was 119th, while Tangen was 132nd.

South Hampstead were 32nd in the team rankings, and they progressed through the first round of the knockout competition, beating Downe House B before being eliminated by Surbiton B.

Hampstead coach Peter Breen hailed Saturday’s 17-7 home win over Staines as one of the best displays of the season as the hosts completed the double over their visitors in London North-West Division Two.

Belsize Park scored seven tries to produce their sixth successive victory since the turn of the year, beating Hitchin 51-15, but there was no change in the London North-West Division Three promotion race with four games to go.